Machine and process for separating liquid from sludge



Dec. 12, 1950 w. v. PAINE 2,533,395

- MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR SEPARATING- LIQUID FROM SLUDGE Filed March 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JIYVENTOR. l'V/LBUR V. fill/vs Dec. 12, 1950 w. v. PAINE 2,533,395

MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR SEPARATING LIQUID FROM SLUDGE Filed March 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Wm 81/}? 1/- PHI/V6 Patented Dec... 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR SEPARATING LIQUID FRUIW SLUDGE Wilbur V. Paine, East Hartford, Conn assignor to The Spencer Turbine Company, Hartford,

Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application March 22, 1945, Serial No. 584,195

ing, and other metal cutting machines, and an 5 The vacuum producer is connected, with the object of the invention, among others, is the interior of the tank 5, through an opening l3--b provision or" a machine and process by means of in its bottom which is controlled by a slide gate which liquid may be quickly separated from the valve i3, and with the atmosphere, through an heavier particles comprising the sludge and in a opening Eta in the side thereof which is conmost efiicient manner. trolled by a shutter l3a that is movable with One form of an apparatus that has been satisthe gate valve 13. The opening between the factorily employed for efiecting the purposes set vacuum producer and the tank 5 is also conout herein. is illustrated in the accompanying trolled by a float valve comprising a, depending drawings, in which tube it having a valve seat 29 which receives a Fig. l is an elevational plan. view of my imfloat 2% that is contained within a screen 22. proved apparatus with parts shown in section In the top of the tank 5, there is also proto illustrate the construction of the machine. vided an opening which is closed by a. cover l8 Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus with parts and in which there is suspended a suitable filter, broken away to illustrate the construction preferably in the form of a basket 16', constructed thereof. 20 oi a suitable perforate material.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion The operation of my improved machine is as of the machine illustrating the construction of follows: the slide valve. When it is desired to draw sludge from a sump,

It is common practice at the present time in container, or the like, the slide valve I3 is opened the operation of metal working machines, as and the shutter l3a is moved to closed position, grinding, planing, or boring machines, to use a the two-way valve H is opened to the atmosphere, liquid, commonly oil, to keep the tools cool and and e o way Valve W is positioned 50 that at the same time wash away the cuttings prothe hose I l communicates with the tank 5 duced by the tools, this accumulating in the form through the tube 55. The air mover may now of asludge in a tank provided in the machine for be started in operation by connecting it to a the purpose. The machine illustrated and desuitable electric supply for energization of the scribed herein is used for the purpose of removmotor 9. This will cause air to be drawn into ing this sludge and the problem now appears to the tank through the tube it; upwardly through separate the liquid portion of the sludge from the float valve and out through the two-Way the heavier parts. This is done in the use of my valve IT to atmosphere and thereby produce a invention by using the same apparatus that repartial vacuum in the tank 5. Upon inserting moves the sludge from the sump in the metal the end of the hose i l into the sludge which is working machine to separate the liquid portion to be treated, the said sludge will be drawn of the sludge from the remainder by subjecting through the hose and the tube l5 into the filter the entire contents thus removed from the ma- (in basket 55 and the heavier material in the sludge chine to a pressure that will remove the liquid will remain in this basket while the liquid thereportion of the mass while the heavier portions in, such as the oil or the like, will pass through are retained for separate and subsequent rethe basket and be collected in the tank 5. When moval. the liquid in said tank rises to level just below As shown in the drawings, my improved mathe basket it, the float 2! will rise and press chine may comprise a tank 5, preferably mountagainst the valve seat 2%; thereby closing the ed on wheels 5 and having a bottom outlet at fioat valve and disconnecting the vacuum proone side controlled by a valve 5 and a bottom ducer from the tank so as to eliminate the partial Clean Out p preferably at the pp vacuum therein and stop the suction of further side, which is closed by a, suitable cap 8. sludge into the tank.

A suitable air mover, preferably of conven- When the liquid is to be removed from the tional form as indicated at it and driven by a tank 5, the slide valve 53 is closed and the shutmotor 9, is mounted upon the top of said tank ter l3a is opened as shown in dotted lines and is connected therewith by means of a tube in Fig. 3, the two-way valve ii is positioned so H in which there is provided a suitable two-way 5 that the pressure producer is communicates 3 Claims. (Ci. 222--128) valve ll. The said tank has an outlet tube I5 that is controlled by a suitable one-Way valve l2 to which a flexible hose Hi may be connected for passing the sludge into the tank 5.

with the tank through the tube 1 I, and the oneway valve I2 is closed. Operation of the pressure producer will now draw air through the opening in the side which is controlled by the shutter l3-a and force said air through the tube l I into the tank and thereby create a pressure in said tank so that, upon opening of the valve 1, the liquid in the tank will be forced outwardly through the hose .28 and delivered to the position desired.

When the basket i5 is to be emptied, the cover I8 may be removed and the basket lifted out. The cap 3 is removed when it may be desired to clean the bottom of the tank 5.

It will thus be seen from this description that the vacuum created by the vacuum producer is made use 01" to cause the sludge from the sump in the machine tool to be drawn into the tank 5, and then by manipulating the valves the vacuum producer is employed to create a pressure in the tank 5, thereby enabling the liquid contents of said tank to be drawn OH and thereafter the heavier particles of the sludge may be removed in the manner above set out, said liquid contents being forced out through the hose 23.

While the valve I3 is illustrated herein as a slide valve I contemplate that a valve of any sort to accomplish the purpose may be employed. Further, the valve 20 shown in Fig. 2 is illustrated as a self-closing valve, but any valve suitable for controlling conditions within the tank may be employed at this location.

I claim:

1. A machine of the character described comprising a portable tank, a valve controlled outlet at the lower end of the tank, a motor driven air mover mounted on the top of the tank and in communication with the tank, means controlling communication between the air mover and tank, a valve controlled suction pipe connected to the top wall of the tank, a pipe connecting the air mover to the top wall of the tank, a valve in said pipe open to atmosphere in one position and forming closed communication between the air mover and tank in another position, and all of said valves when in one position being operative to produce a partial vacuum in said tank for drawing material into the tank through said suction pipe and when in another position to create pressure in said tank for forcing material out of the tank.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a portable tank, a valve controlled outlet at the lower end of the tank, a motor driven air mover mounted on the top of the tank and in communication with the tank, means controlling communication between the air mover and tank,

a valve controlled suction pipe connected to the top wall of the tank, a pipe connecting the air mover to the top wall of the tank, a valve in said pipe open to atmosphere in one position and forming closed communication between the air mover and tank in another position, a valve controlled opening in the air mover for selectively placing the air mover in communication with the atmosphere, and all of said valves when in one position being operative to produce a partial vacuum in said tank for drawing material into the tank through said suction pipe and when in another position to create pressure in said tank for forcing material out of the tank.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a portable tank, a valve controlled outlet at the lower end of the tank, a motor driven air mover mounted on the top of the tank and in communication with the tank, means controlling communication between the air mover and tank, a valve controlled suction pipe comiected to the top wall of the tank, a pipe connecting the air mover to the top wall of the tank, a valve in said pipe open to atmosphere in one position and forming closed communication between the air mover and tank in another position, said air mover having an opening therein to atmosphere, a closure for said opening operated by the means controlling communication between the air mover and tank, and all of said valves when in one position being operative to produce a partial vacuum in said tank for drawing material into the tank through said suction pipe and when in another position to create pressure in said tank for forcing material out of the tank.

WILBUR V. PAINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,741 Samiran Mar. 4, 1941 361,474 Weygant Apr. 19, 1887 745,519 Pravicha et a1 Dec. 1, 1903 924,524 Zerkowitz June 8, 1909 1,166,713 Otterson Jan. 4, 1916 1,207,679 Boylan Dec. 5, 1916 1,344,710 Otterson June 29, 1920 1,419,478 Thompson et a1. June 13, 1922 1,650,478 Wimberley Nov. 22, 1927 1,681,002 Londagin Aug. 14, 1928 1,714,300 Denny May 21, 1929 1,836,029 Hutt Dec. 15, 1931 1,892,519 Schottgen Dec. 27, 1982 1,926,512 Buchet Sept. 12, 1933 

